The Index of the Interesting

To create a quick reference, I extracted the categories of interesting propositions from Murray S. Davis’s That’s Interesting! Towards a Phenomenology of Sociology and a Sociology of Phenomenology [paper].

(i) Organization

a. What seems to be disorganized (unstructured) phenomenon is in reality an organized (structured) phenomenon.

b. What seems to be an organized (structured) phenomenon is in reality a disorganized (unstructured) phenomenon.

(ii) Composition

a. What seem to be assorted heterogeneous phenomena are in reality composed of a single element.

b. What seem to be a single phenomenon is in reality composed of assorted heterogenous elements.

(iii) Abstraction

a. What seem to be an individual phenomenon is in reality a holistic phenomenon.

b. What seems to be a holistic phenomenon is in reality an individual phenomenon.

(iv) Generalization

a. What seems to be a local phenomenon is in reality a general phenomenon.

b. What seems to be a general phenomenon is in reality a local phenomenon.

(v) Stabilization

a. What seems to be a stable and unchanging phenomenon is in reality an unstable and changing phenomenon.

b. What seems to be an unstable and changing phenomenon is in reality a stable and unchanging phenomenon.

(vi) Function

a. What seems to be a phenomenon that functions ineffectively as a means for the attainment of an end in in reality a phenomenon that functions effectively.

b. What seems to be a phenomenon that functions effectively as a means for the attainment of an end is in reality a phenomenon that functions ineffectively.

(vii) Evaluation

a. What seems to be a bad phenomenon is in reality a good phenomenon.

b. What seems to be a good phenomenon is in reality a bad phenomenon.

(viii) Co-relation

a. What seem to be unrelated (independent) phenomena are in reality correlated (interdependent) phenomena.

b. What seem to be related (interdependent) phenomena are in reality uncorrelated (independent) phenomena.

(ix) Co-existence

a. What seem to be phenomena which can exist together are in reality phenomena which cannot exist together.

b. What seem to be phenomena which cannot exist together are in reality phenomena which can exist together.

(x) Co-variation

a. What seem to be a positive co-variation between phenomena is in reality a negative co-variation between phenomena.

b. What seems to be a negative co-variation between phenomena is in reality a positive co-variation between phenomena.

(xi) Opposition

a. What seem to be similar (nearly identical) phenomena are in reality opposite phenomena.

b. What seem to be opposite phenomena are in reality (nearly identical) phenomena.

(xii) Causation

a. What seems to be the independent phenomena (variable) in s causal relation is in reality the dependent phenomenon (variable)

b. What seems to be the dependent phenomenon (variable) in a causal relation is in reality the independent phenomenon (variable).